Industry giants join forces over STS ammonia bunkering

A landmark partnership to develop the safety guidelines for ship-to-ship (STS) ammonia bunkering has been established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between KR (Korean Register), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HD HHI), KSS Line, and the Liberian Registry.

As the demand for ammonia-fueled vessels rises, this partnership aims to establish robust safety standards for STS ammonia bunkering, an efficient method for supplying fuel to ammonia-fueled vessels. The safe bunkering of alternative fuels, like ammonia, requires rigorous risk assessment and the establishment of controlled zones. While standards for LNG and methanol bunkering have already been defined through various international industry standards, ammonia currently lacks relevant guidelines, highlighting the urgent need for the partnership’s research.

To address this industry need, the five organizations involved will work together to develop standardized safety procedures that will set international benchmarks for ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering.

The five organizations will work as follows:

HD KSOE will perform risk assessments aligned with international industry standards.
HD HHI and KSS Line will utilize their expertise and experience in alternative-fuel vessels and ammonia carriers to evaluate controlled zones and safety procedures for ammonia STS bunkering.
KR will verify the compliance of the safety procedures and issue an Approval in Principle (AIP) certificate.
The Liberian Registry will review the validity of the safety procedures and oversee the world’s largest registered fleet.

KIM Yeontae, Executive Vice President of KR’s technical division, stated that with the anticipated increase in ammonia bunkering demand due to the construction of more ammonia-fueled vessels, the collaborative effort to establish safety standards was highly significant. He emphasized that through this partnership, KR was committed to advancing ammonia fuel technology and supporting the industry’s decarbonization efforts.

Just as we observed with the initial adoption of LNG STS bunkering, it is critical to establish regulations and procedures for ammonia as well. Our Innovation and Energy Transition team will thoroughly review the safety protocols and support the development of international standards.

… said KIM Jungsik, Managing Director of the Korea Office at the Liberian Registry

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To remind, earlier this year ABS released its Ammonia Bunkering: Technical and Operational Advisory considers the aspects of bunkering ammonia as a fuel, providing the maritime industry with a better understanding of the challenges involved and how best to address them.

Furthermore, A Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation-led consortium successfully conducted ship-to-ship transfers of ammonia at anchorages within the Port of Dampier on 14 September 2024.